Is Clay (Aiken) gay? You know we asked -- An Advocate Exclusive

The Advocate ^ | May 22, 2003 | Alonso Duralde

[bourbon]

remember. At least in the South, these terms have very different connotations. :-)

"nude" = wearing no clothes on purpose, usually for art's sake (e.g. in a painting)
"naked" = undressed as a matter of course (e.g. in the shower)
"nekkid" = unclothed and up to something!!!

[dandelion]

I haven't ever seen the show, but I'll tell you he's not gay, and I'll tell you why - because the Advocate HATES him.

The Advocate's description of Clay is filled with bile, not admiration; if they weren't gay themselves, they could be accused of hate speech:

"Here's a performer, we thought, who can’t open his mouth without littering the Idol stage with hairpins. The fluttering eyelids; the high-pitched chuckle; the angry-diva faces pulled whenever Simon Cowell criticized him; the hammy, Sam Harris-meets-Mandy Patinkin show-tune vocalizing - just about everything Clay does reads as gay."

The stereotypical gay-bashing imagery is particularly pointed; no cliche is left unwritten. Had those at the Advocate thought Clay was truly gay, they would have written an article that was "sensitive", or at least flattering. Instead, they did their usual hate-filled "outing" hatchet job the Advocate reserves for men that they wish to destroy. Clay's professed Christianity may be the reason.

The Advocate does not Advocate for all gays, after all, but only for liberal gays who vote and speak as the Advocate and gay establishment tells them. A quiet, unsure, or conservative gay will be torn apart first not by his fans, his family, or his constituency, but by the "Advocate" themselves.

Espouse another view on "gay marriage" while professing to be gay? The Advocate will vilify you to the community. Speak out against pedophiles in the community? The Advocate will smear you as one. Struggle with your own homosexual feelings or experiences in private? The Advocate will post your name for your friends, family, fans, or followers to read on every street corner. The message to gays is loud and clear: do as the "Gay Establishment" tells you, or you will be publicly outed in a way that even the most vehement religious fundamentalist would condemn.

If you are a Christian who struggles with homosexuality, the message is especially blunt; out yourself, and give in, or we will tear you apart in public.

The Advocate advocates nothing but their own political agenda, and those who do not bow to it - gay or heterosexual - will be destroyed.

Whether or not "Clay is gay", one thing is for certain - the Advocate hates him, and hate is not a family value, is it, boys?

[Timesink]

I am unaware that either Clay or Ruben "pursue Christian labels," though I think Ruben's dad may be a preacher. I only know about the prayer circles because I read it a couple of times in "behind the scenes" articles. I've never seen either one of them trying to make sure they were openly identified as Christians by the media.

[Constitution Day]

Same thing I thought.

[RMDupree]

Geesh! Whaddya want me to do? Call up Clay and say "Hey! People think you're gay. Would you please sleep with a girl on camera so we all know the truth?"

I don't care if he's gay or not (I believe he isn't). All I know is that he's got an awesome voice and I'm buying his album.

[Registered]

"Who cares"

Sounds like a woman with a crush? ;-)

[rintense]

Ick. Clay looks like KD Lang to me. Doesn't make him gay though.

I never watch Idol. Not one single episode.

[RMDupree]

I couldn't agree more. It's absolutely tiresome!

Do some folks want to know if he's gay, so they know they have a chance with him? Inquiring minds want to know!

ugh!

[Constitution Day]

...it's getting kind of old though.

I guess today's a slow news day.

[RMDupree]

I was rinsing off the Balrog snot from the other thread...

*shudder*

[Zavien Doombringer]

I really have a hard time with the thought of a Christian persuing something worldly like this, though many have (Stryper and Amy Grant come to mind) Being a Christian myself I can't see the walk being straight and on the path with this type of lifestyle.

[sharktrager]

This being the Advocate, where is the description of Clay's "basket"?

[RMDupree]

Exactly!

[ewing]

Excellently said, and dead on correct.

[Registered]

Wow, he does look like KD Lang!?!? ROFLOL!

[Timesink]

I saw this link on memepool a while back. No, I am not making this up.

I can beat that. I was looking on Google once for a picture of a certain TV pitchman, and instead was informed of the existence of "Gay Billy Mays Fans" Yahoo group. I can't find the link, because Yahoo now hides all its hardcore pornographic groups from Google or even from Yahoo searches - you have to know the exact group name to access any of them, so it's all underground now. But the group's out there!

[RMDupree]

A well-written post.

The Advocate's venom speaks for itself.

[amused]

Can't people's public or private sexual orientation be left ofr themselves to decide? Is that too much to ask?

[Howlin]

Evidently.

[RMDupree]

I've never seen either one of them trying to make sure they were openly identified as Christians by the media.

They openly spoke about their prayer circles on the show on a number of episodes. Clay said that he, Kimberly Locke and Ruben Studdard have been had prayer circles before every show since they made it to Hollywood. They were all in the same group at the start and made their way to the top 3.